


It'll be a Blue Christmas

by I_sleep_on_roses



Category: Captain America, MCU, The Avengers
Genre: Can be seen as platonic, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-07
Updated: 2014-12-07
Packaged: 2018-02-28 04:56:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2719493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_sleep_on_roses/pseuds/I_sleep_on_roses
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve spends his first Christmas with friends in the 21st Century. It's only missing one thing....</p>
            </blockquote>





	It'll be a Blue Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> http://archiveofourown.org/users/GoofyGoldenGirl/pseuds/GoofyGoldenGirl inspired me to write my own Steve Rogers Christmas fic. The facts are a mix of the comics and the movies. A Stucky Christmas playlist I made that you can listen to with it https://8tracks.com/i_sleep_on_roses/steve-bucky-s-christmas-tunes ;]

Christmas was right around the corner, and I guess it was my first in this century. Last year I stayed locked away in my gym. It's not that I don't like Christmas. I love it. It was just hard now.

When I was little, my parents would invite Bucky over from Camp Lehigh almost every holiday. It was so hard for him after he lost his parents and was separated from his sister, Rachel. We'd go door to door singing carols and then go to midnight mass; Bucky and I would always fall asleep on each other's shoulders. This was the one time of the year my mother would let me indulge in sweets, so on Christmas day we'd stuff our faces with sugar cookies and milk and pass out under the dinky tree. When we got older, we'd go out to the pub and get blind on bourbon eggnog. He'd always take me home instead leaving with his dates. Those days are past, though, along with my best friend.

Being the family man he was, Wilson somehow arranged a big shindig with Stark. All the Avengers and their dates were going to be there he said, so who was I to be a Scrooge? The two of us took a plane to Stark Tower which was, I'm pretty sure for the first time ever, decked out in Christmas lights. I think "lights" was an understatement, though. With the help of his suit, no doubt, Tony had managed to straps mile-long strands down the building and the whole place was adorned with a holographic Santa and reindeer.

"Did he decide it was his job to save Christmas this year?" I asked, blinking away the snowflakes as I gawked up at it all.  
"Man, I like it!" Sam exclaimed, taking a friendly whack at my arm and running inside.

Once inside we were welcomed with the same amount of garish decorations. I looked over to see my friend grinning from ear to ear, though, and I realized how much of a fuddy-duddy I was being (that phrase itself made me one, though, I guess). Bucky would have told me to loosen up.

The second we opened the door to Tony's personal flat, I was barraged with a "mistletoe" attack by Natasha.

"Forget about your ol' buddy?" Sam fished, putting his arms out for a kiss.

Happier than usual, she obliged, giving him a quick peck on his giddy cheek, and he just melted under her lips. Surrounding the punch bowl were Clint and Phil while Tony was entertaining Pepper, Thor, and Jane Foster at the fireplace. In the far left corner was Bruce and a premium plastic tree double the height of its showy owner. "Baby, it's Cold Outside" was on full blast, and, greeted by all my new acquaintances, I was surprised to discover that I was suddenly feeling sort of joyful. These were all people who usually spent the holidays alone now brought together under one roof.

Thor, looking oddly out of place in a tightly fit reindeer sweater, approached me last with a smile on his face more characteristic of his younger brother.

"How ya doing, Big Guy?" I asked.  
"I am well, good friend," he answered me with a forceful hug and slam on the back, "And you? How do you fare?"  
"I'm good, good," I responded automatically, hiding any remaining grief I may have been showing, "Something on your mind?"  
"I hear that one of your 'Christmas traditions' is the cracking of walnuts. I would like to challenge you to see who can crack the most nuts barehanded within one minute."  
"Uhh, thanks but nah. Maybe some other time, though."

This was met with a rowdy round of boos and table-banging.

"Aw, come on," Tony prodded, "It's his first Christmas, and you wanna break his heart?"  
"Alright, alright, alright. I'll do it," I sighed and rolled up my sweater's sleeves.  
"That's the spirit." Clint chimed in, moving the drinks and snacks off the bar counter for us.

Stark had JARVIS dim the lights and set a timer as we took our places on either side. Thor eyed me intimidatingly, but I easily collected myself for the upcoming battle.

The clock went off and nut shells went soaring. We sloppily crushed them between our palms to the wild cheers of the crowd. Most dodged the flying chunks except for Coulson was casually grabbing bits to nibble on, completely unaffected. Jane rooted from behind her Asgardian boyfriend while Sam rallied me on like a mad man. Once we got down to the line, we both tripled our speed. We were still neck and neck and you could see muscles and veins popping from both of our arms.

"3! 2! 1!" a few shouted out, and we pushed back from the counter, breath still intact.  
"Was anyone keeping count? I wasn't keeping count," Tony huffed.  
"I was..." Bruce spoke up, "Steve got 143." My close friends roared, but then he finished, "Thor won, but only by 2."

The room broke into loud groans and applause.

"Don't think poorly of yourself, friend. I am nearly undefeated in all sport." Thor said, beaming and shaking my hand boastfully.  
"Yeah, yeah. I was distracted. Next fight for sure."

That wasn't a lie, though. I had been caught up in my thoughts of Bucky the whole holiday season. It did't really _feel_   like Christmas without him. Natasha patted me on the back as I poured myself a drink, and Sam promised I'd win next time as I sat on the black leather couch with Phil.

 

"You alright?" he questioned, "Not feeling the warm fuzzies?"

"Heh. Not that much," I confessed, staring sadly at my glass of egg nog, "It's just missing something, ya know?"

"Or someone?" he guessed, "Hey, I know that feeling. I've spent my share of Christmases without close ones. Still feels weird to fully enjoy myself even now. Give it time. No one's rushing you."

"Thanks, Coulson," I said, nodding, "I'll keep that in mind."

 

The rest of the night became kind of a blur. Jane and Bruce talked about science, Thor injecting every once in a while about Asgardian magic, Nat, Clint, and Sam played racing video games, and Tony tried to show off Pepper, much to her dismay, as his currently on super-girlfriend to anyone who'd listen. As everyone began to settle down a bit, Stark played Santa Claus, passing out multiple gifts to everyone. Almost everyone was pleased with their expensive toys except for me, Coulson, and, even though she seemed happy, probably Pepper. Another hour passed and she came back from the door with a small box neatly wrapped with newspaper.

 

"It's for you apparently," she said, her eyebrow arched curiously as she handed it to me.

"How come he gets the special present?" Nat asked. _  
_

"Hey, don't look at me," Tony replied, plopping down next to the fireplace with a handful of walnut shards, "I had nothing to do with that. Plus, that's not even my style, and you know it. It's got no pizazz."

"True," half the room agreed simultaneously.

"Then who-" I stopped mid-sentence after reading the words  _TO PUNK. LOVE JERK._ _  
_

"Pepper, who gave this to you?" I questioned her, trying to keep my breath steady.

"Um, just some delivery man."

"What'd he look like?"

"Slightly shorter than you, I think. Uhhh, like with darkish brown hair and a strong build. Sorry, it was hard to see his face under his cap."

 

At that moment I shot up from my seat and bolted out the door and down the staircase.  _It couldn't be! What if it is, though? Oh, please, let it be him._ I prayed to myself. When I got to the bottom, I noticed, a flicker of long, brown hair under a navy blue baseball cap turn the corner right outside the door.

 

I ran outside and looked to the right, but it was hard to spot anyone in the crowd passing by. I darted awkwardly past people, following the flicker getting further and further from me.

"Bucky!" I shouted to no avail.

 

I turned two more corners before giving up on the chase. I stood outside in the alleyway, cursing my luck and punching the brick wall, before heading back inside.

 

Everyone was all eyes when made it back up to the party. I opened my mouth, but no words came out.

 

"Leave him alone, guys," Bruce defended me as I sat up at the counter island.

"Thanks," I managed with a defeated sigh.

 

Banner just nodded in response. Natasha came up to me cautiously and left me with the tiny package. I gave the thing a good, long stare, finding it harder to size up than Thor, before blowing out a puff of air and finally giving into temptation.

I gently tugged at the tape, almost afraid it would disintegrate under my touch. I wanted to conserve what ever I got of him. My heart was beating erratically against my chest, knowingly unprepared for the thing under the newspaper. My hands trembled at the last bit of wrapping as I started to realize what was underneath. It fell off with a lonely _cssh_ and my breath caught tightly in my throat.

At that moment I grabbed my face to choke back the sobs, but it didn't work. Soon I was shuddering in my seat, tears streaming down over my fingers, and it didn't matter who was watching. Those closest to me tried to crane their necks to see what it was I was holding in my other hand. A gold-trimmed wooden frame held a crumpled, partially burnt photo of my parents, me, and Bucky amassed around our little tree. It was the only Christmas picture we had taken that far back.

On the back a small note was tucked into it reading _Merry Christmas, Stevie. I managed to scavenge this old photo of us. I know you'll like it. Take care of yourself._

_Love, an old pal._


End file.
